Shoe steamer



E. E. fiMiTH ET AL SHOE STEAMER Filed my 26. 3.921.

v ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST E. SMITH AND FREDERICK A. LOVELL, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE STEAMER.

Application filed. May 26, 1921.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ERNEST E. SMITH and FREDERICK A. LovnLL, citizens of the United States, residing at North Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State of Ma'ssachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe Steamers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus employed in the manufacture of shoes and designed to facilitate the removal of the last from the finished shoe.

More or less trouble is experienced in shoe factories during the process of removing the last from the shoe, due to presence of shellac on the last or in the upper, which is apt to make these parts stick together so that the removal of the last is rendered difficult, and also is often accompanied by damage to the tip, throat and shank of the shoe.

The invention has for its object to overcome this trouble, and it consists in a novel and improved apparatus by which moist heat is applied to the upper so that the last is freed and readily removable without danger of injury to any part of the shoe.

The object stated is attained by means of a combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the apparatus partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the main portion of the apparatus partly broken away.

Referring specifically to the drawing 5 denotes a steam chest which is supported on the upper end of a tubular standard 6 hav ing a suitable base 7. The steam chest is rectangular in shape and the standard is employed for leading steam thereinto, the upper end of the standard being open to discharge into the chest. The standard 6 is fitted with a valve 8 for controlling the flow of steam to the chest 5, and beneath this valve there is connected to the standard a supply pipe 9 leading from a suitable steam source. The pipe 9 is fitted with a gage 10 and a valve 11. Beneath the connection of the pipe 9 with the standard 6, there is connected to the latter a condensation pipe 12 Serial No. 472,794.

provided with a valve 13. The apparatus is supported in position for use by bolting or otherwise securing the base 7 to the floor.

Above the chest 5 is positioned a wooden base plate or block 14 which is supported spaced a short distance from the top of the chest by standards 15 rising from the corners of the latter.

The top of the base plate or block 14 has a number of depressions or recesses 16 extending transversely, and, in line with each recess, the block has a passage 17 which extends, downwardly through the bottom of the base plate. To the top of the chest 5 are connected short vertical pipes 18 for leading steam from the chest into the recesses 16, said pipes, at their upper ends, extending into the passages 17.

Over the recessed top of the base plate 14 is placed a pad or blanket 19 of felt or other soft and absorbent material, the same extending down the sides of the plate and being tacked or otherwise secured thereto.

From the top of the base plate 14 rise pegs 20 positioned to correspond to the location of the recesses 16, there being a peg on each side of each recess.

The apparatus is used in the following manner:

The lasted shoes, are placed on the pad 19 so as to seat above the recesses 16, one upper being placed above each recess. The shoes are placed between the pegs 20, and as the spacing of the pegs is alternately wide and narrow, the wide spaces coinciding with the recesses 16, it will be seen that by placing the shoes between the widely spaced pegs, the operator is certain to get the shoes properly located above the recesses 16. The shoes are placed in inverted position on the pad 19 so that the tips and the parts adjacent thereto rest on the pad. The steam in the chest 5 is conducted by the pipes 18 into the recesses 16. The pad 19 has sufficient thickness to hold the steam in the recesses 16, and as the steam condenses on the pad the latter is heated and moistened, and the moist heat applied to the shoes causes the shellac, paste or other sticky substances on the last or in the uppers to soften so that the last can be easily pulled out without injuring any parts of the shoe. The soft material used for the pad prevents injury to the outer surfaces of the uppers, and the apparatus can be used on uppers of colored leather without danger of getting the same stained or spotted. One

escaping by Way of the pipe 12 when the valve 13 is open.

We claim:

An apparatus for treating lasted shoes to facilitate removal of the last comprising a substantial rectangular steam chest, a combined supporting'and steam supply standard connected to the under side of the chest, a plurality of separate pipes extending upwardly from the steam chest and having communication therewith, a shoe supporting member arranged above and in spaced relation to said chest and having a plurality of separate parallel transversely extending channels opening out through the sides of.

the shoe supporting member, an absorbent body extending over the entire upper surface of the shoe supporting member and the channels therein and being secured to the sides and ends of the shoe supporting memher, said shoe supporting member being provided with passages. receiving the upper portions of said pipes whereby communicm tion is established between the steam chest and the channels in the shoe supporting member above the chest, the upper portions of said pipes being spaced below the bottom walls of said channels.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures. I

ERNEST ELSON SMITH. FREDERICK A. LovELLi 

